Above: Portfields School in Newport Pagnell, is one of four schools in Milton Keynes that has received funding to expand their provision for children with additional needs
With the new school year now underway, 30 local children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have a new specialist place thanks to extra investment shared by Milton Keynes City Council.
The City Council has been working with four local mainstream schools - Wood End Infant and Pre-School, Portfields Primary, Chestnuts Primary and Oxley Park Academy - to expand the number of places and support for children with SEND. This forms part of wider work to support the rising number of children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) as the city grows.
Government funding secured by the City Council has enabled the creation of the 30 additional places. Known as ‘specialist bases’, dedicated areas within each school provide an alternative to special schools and enable children to attend school alongside their siblings and peers. They include teaching spaces with breakout areas, intervention rooms and a separate curriculum, as well as specialist teachers and support staff to meet the needs of children with EHCPs at their local school.
The construction work, which included some internal remodelling as well as extra buildings and new entry points, was completed in time for the new school year.
It forms part of the City Council’s ongoing commitment to grow the support for children with SEND. During the past year, the city council has already created over 160 new places via specialist bases in mainstream schools and expanding special schools. New schools like the primary in Whitehouse South and the new ‘all through’ school in Elverby, are also being designed with dedicated SEND provision.
“We want every child in Milton Keynes to have the opportunity to learn, thrive and succeed as close to home as possible. These specialist bases provide high-quality support within mainstream schools, allowing more children with SEND to learn alongside their friends, siblings and local community. They also help schools build inclusive practice and expertise, while ensuring that specialist special school places remain available for children and young people with the most complex needs.”